Orbital

By Maxim Griffin.

A small concrete bridge with a pebble-dash finish – the date of construction cast on one side – 1932 – from here, go left and south – sun’s out – cartoon clouds tracking along – bird song and motor noise – the architects have not only allowed for cars and trucks but also for bicycles and pedestrians – good – we will follow these paths beyond Lincoln.

Embankments, cuts, footbridges – the backside of new housing, new gardens, new fences on top of sharp slopes – elegant curves that curl around the north eastern sector of the city – fresh turf, very green in the light – no trees have been planted, trees catch litter you see – there’s no litter to be seen – these earthworks can be considered as direct descendants of henges, hillforts and cursuses – the moving of soil on a monumental scale is an occupation we are very keen on – an older gentleman walks two small dogs across the delicate arc of a footbridge in the direction of Cherry Willingham.

The keen-eyed amateur botanist would do well to observe the flora that has begun to appear on the banks and escarpments – already, honey bees are going about their business – verges and roadsides, especially new ones, can quickly become unofficial meadows – look – clover, mustard, the first poppies, rampion, ragwort, bitter vetch – all self-seeded – good – give it a month and it will be spectacular – these unexpected victories of nature are an excellent after-effect of such colossal engineering feats – let’s hope no one is sent to mow them into oblivion.

Signs indicate that this is the direction by which you will eventually reach the A1 and therefore other places – brown signage indicates the presence of 1) historic city 2) historic castle 3) historic cathedral – ignore these temptations – today the road is everything – keep walking – stop to admire the pylons – on a bright day with cumulus drifting by, they are beautiful – this is the electric leyline that travels south from its mysterious source in the vicinity of Scunthorpe – combine this with the Iron Age revivalism of the bypass’ entrenchments and redoubts and you are entering the territory of Kraftwerk’s utopian vision of the Autobahn – before us is a huge valley, the sun is indeed shining in a glittering stream.

Look right – here is Greetwell Quarry – stone, scrub, cliffs – an enormous crater, a lunar scar at the edge of the city – a dog runs happily in the distance with their person, bike people zoom along dusty tracks – climbers climb the rock faces, but not today – there is evidence of rabbits and almost certainly deer – it is a good thing to see an industrial landscape become gradually rewilded, it is a good thing to see people using a massive space such as this to play in – a red kite circles slowly, slowly on thermals above.

Walking the circuit
Our orbit continues – eventually the whole of Lincoln will be encircled, corralled by road – perhaps it will be possible to walk the entire circuit in the style of Iain Sinclair, the great psychogeographer – walking the perimeter of a city is always a worthwhile exercise – it’s akin to diving into a book’s bibliography and index first – you see the meat and potatoes of a place – how it occupies a landscape and how the landscape prescribes the city’s form – Lincoln’s shape is governed by the water that flows through it – look – the sun on the Witham and the dykes – downhill – the Red Arrows are out, drawing circles in the sky – onward.

Where there have been major works one will always find the relics of construction – beyond the road and the path remain spoil heaps and depot sites – unused and forgotten cones, a derelict Portacabin, a bright orange shipping container – upon this shipping container is the work of one of the area’s more prolific public calligraphers – FAITH – painted large in a jaunty font – Faith gets everywhere – their work ranges from the quick tag to much more ambitious pieces – the container sits on a brownfield site with the city and her ancient buildings in the distance – rolling stock hauls west towards the station – there is activity ahead.

The valley is levelling out towards the river – new works have recently begun to connect this section of bypass to the southern reaches of the city – a direct line to the Fosse Way – the Romans would approve – in the fields beyond are men and machines – high-visibility jackets and hard hats – some kind of captain with clipboard and theodolite – dumpers and JCBs (Joseph Cyril Bamfords, to give them their proper name ) are shifting thousands of tons of clay – caterpillared wheels squeal and mechanical arms excavate.

Urban landmarks
Rejoin the path by the road – a bridge – cross first the River Witham and pause – a bridleway leads east – here a runner runs – away from the city, in the direction of Boston, the Wash and then the North Sea – when will they stop? Now cross the Sincil Dyke – there are swans headed towards the urban sprawl – this is a good point to eat a sandwich – the city draws near – traffic slowing – slowing – stops – flashing lights – ah – a minor collision – doesn’t look as though anyone is injured – one of the drivers is very cross – a policeman ushers motorists around the incident – we are used to seeing these things in passing from cars but it is strange to witness it from foot – the angry driver fumes into a telephone – walk on, leave them to it. The signage changes from directions to landmarks to directions towards amenities – crematorium, bowling alley – something for everyone – litter has increased considerably – fried chicken remnants, coffee beakers, pop tins – a hearse pulls out of the crem – turn left at the public footpath sign – zig-zag uphill beside the sewage treatment works – an egret is waiting on the vats – uphill further – Canwick and the Bomber Command memorial over there – look back – having bypassed the city we can keep heading south without too much distraction – the road winds along the back of the city, silver and shining – keep going until you see a sign with Faith written on it.

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